Tuesday, March 29, 2005

Birthdays

Yesterday was my birthday. I have had quite an incredible Birthday week actually. It began with a package or two in the mail several days before, it has been filled with lunches, breakfasts and gifts from my girlfriends and will end this Thursday with lunch with a new special friend of mine. David says I begain "Campaigning" about my birthday about a month before it comes. That is so not true! I do begin a subtle countdown at home and my excitement builds. All of this may seem quite trivial to you but this year it was different. Easter on 3/27 and then my birthday on the 28th. It gave everything a new twist this year. I felt like I shared new life with Jesus. Someone made a glib comment about it being mine and Jesus' (2nd birth) special days. I flinched when I heard it because it seemed odd to include me with Him. Now that could be a whole other blog entry. But the words have resonanted through my mind a thousand times since then. I have asked myself over and over again - am I worthy of the company of Jesus. As I said above, I have spent a lot of time socializing with friends over meals this past week, and that feels perfectly normal. I should feel completely normal about socializing with Jesus too - but, it doesn't. Hmm...new insights into my sometimes weak faith.

Sunday, March 20, 2005

Back at ACU

I know it is rather pityful when you are prepared to publish the fact that you went to Abilene for Spring Break....But, we only had a couple of days and we did not want to do the snow thing, so...Amarillo tends to be too far from everywhere else just to do a 2 or 3 day trip. And besides my brother and his family are there, some best friends also and so I could go on justifying this choice. Nevertheless we went to Abilene.
Lately I have been struck by a strange feeling everytime I return. It is hard to explain and I have not verbalized it until now. It just doesn't feel like home anymore. I want to stand up and yell, "between David and I we almost ran the Bible Department". We both had worked there so long while in school. This was our area. We knew everyone and everything and more. But now, we feebly head down corridors to offices that are no longer where they were to see people who are not there. Its just weird. What's weirder is that I have been a self proclaimed "lover of change" except this! I would love this little world to have stood still just how I remembered giving me a false sense of power and security.
I think progress is good for the kind of theological training going on in the GST and Undergrad programs at ACU - I just feel out of the loop. You know what I mean?

Saturday, March 19, 2005

The List

I know - everyone is blogging about the people they consider their "faith heroes" and so I am going to do it too! Funny, when I think of these people I know they would not like to be on a list like this - that's what makes them special.

1.Roger and Erin Massey (Zagreb, Croatia) - they bring me into the presence of God through creativity, fun, faith and joy.
2.Mike and Dena Johnson (Seattle, WA) - their extreme love of children (5 adopted angels) is so inspiring to me. Their intentionality in living and faith is astounding.
3.David and Jeanne Wray (Abilene, TX) - no words can describe how they have shaped our lives!
4.Jack and Jeanene Reese (Abilene, TX) - heart friends who have taught us just by being with us.
5.Dan and Anne Boyd (North Richland Hills, TX) - they love God and people with an intensity that I have never seen before.
6.David (my Man) - his integrity is perhaps the most outstanding thing I have ever witnessed. Besides the fact that he is a great Husband, Dad and minister.
6.Paula Cannington (Charlotte, NC) - my friend who lives by faith each and every day.

Wednesday, March 02, 2005

Mudhouse Sabbath

One of my favorite books from last year was Mudhouse Sabbath. Laura Winner has that great Jewish humor. I miss that living here in Amarillo, TX. Not many Jewish folk walking around. Now growing up in South Africa it was a part of our daily landscape.
This book is a short, quick read on the surface. But dig just a little deeper and let the implications sink in and you can be engaged for days.
David and I begin teaching a short 4 week study over this book this Sunday. I wish I could just sit and read the book to the class - that would be the most powerful. But, I know when you have the title "teacher" slapped on you, the class expects you to teach. I may just have to let the writer teach this one.